The White Rose

Moments before she was beheaded for treason against Hitler, White Rose resistance member, Sophie, spoke these words, “Such a fine day, sunny day, and I have to go, but what does my death matter, if through us thousands of people are awakened and stirred to action.” One small group, known as the White Rose, has become a symbol of Germany’s resistance as an indication of just how little organized opposition to Hitler and his policies existed. In the summer 1942, Munich, like the rest of Germany, was strongly Nazified: swastika flags were ubiquitous, especially at schools and universities where students were taught to unquestioningly follow Hitler and the Party. It was in this atmosphere that a band of students formed the White Rose. To keep secrecy, membership of the White Rose movement was extremely small. What they did was extremely dangerous. If they were captured they would have been charged with treason, and the consequences were inevitable. Everyone in the group knew each other, and each was convinced of the loyalty of everyone in the group. Both Hans and Sophie admitted their full responsibility in an attempt to end any form of interrogation that might result in them revealing other members of the movement. However, the Gestapo refused to believe that only two people were involved and, after further interrogation, they gained the names of all those involved, who were subsequently arrested. Sophie, Hans and Christoph Probst were the first to be brought before the People’s Court on February 22nd 1943. The People’s Court had been established on April 24th 1934 to try cases that were deemed to be political offences against the Nazi state. Invariably these were nothing more than show trials designed to humiliate those brought before the court, presumably in the hope that public humiliation would put off anyone else whom might be of the same ilk. All three were found guilty and sentenced to death by beheading. The executions took place the same day. Sophie’s last words were, “Such a fine day, sunny day, and I have to go, but what does my death matter, if through us thousands of people are awakened and stirred to action.” Through sharing, perhaps “thousands of people will be awakened and stirred to action” to pray for Israel and the peace of Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6) that is so desperately needed.